Following Vinicius Junior’s recent racial abuse at the hands of Valencia fans, the President of the Foreign Relations and National Defense Committee of the Lower House of Brazil’s Congress announced on Wednesday during a pre-scheduled session that they will be inviting Spain’s ambassador to the country for a hearing.
The Committee, led by Congressman Paulo Barbosa, revealed to the House, which included Brazil’s Foreign Minister, that they plan to speak to Ambassador Mar Fernandez-Palacios with the aim of understanding the measures that the European country is taking towards the abuse that Vinicius suffered last Sunday.
“We are requesting a hearing with Spain’s ambassador to Brazil, Mrs. Mar Fernández-Palacios, in order to hear the concrete measures that Spanish authorities are taking in relation to this matter,” Barbosa said.
“Racism and xenophobia do not find a place in today’s world. The repeated practice of these crimes must be fought permanently, not from time to time.”
The constant racial abuse suffered by Brazilian football stars like Vinicius in recent times and Dani Alves some years ago has given birth to serious debates about actions taken by the Spanish government against such unwanted behavior as football continues to grow in the region.
“On behalf of Foreign Relations and National Defense Committee of the Lower House, I want to repudiate vehemently the racist and xenophobic attacks suffered by the Brazilian Vinicius Jr. last Sunday in the city of Valencia in Spain,” the president of the Committee said.
“Vini Jr., as he’s internationally recognized, was subjected to the eighth racial abuse this season. The color of his skin, just the color of his skin, is enough for some to commit unacceptable and shameful atrocities,” he concluded.
Vinicius has been the constant recipient of racial abuse from opposing fans of at least five teams since the beginning of the 2022–23 season. He was also the target of a hate crime after Atletico Madrid fans hung an effigy of him from a bridge before their Madrid derby encounter.
Likewise, Brazil’s Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira also expressed his concern and reiterated that he would be “closely monitoring the matter”.
“Brazil repudiates this attack on the strongest terms,” he said. “The Brazilian Government issues a joint statement of five ministries and we are closely following the first measures adopted by the Spanish government authorities as well as sports authorities.
“Our goal is to have punishment for those who perpetrated such acts and avoid the repetition of them. We will continue to monitor the situation and promote an antiracist foreign policy.”
On Tuesday, the Spanish football federation fined Valencia 45,000 euros ($48,500) and also ordered the closure of a section of Mestalla Stadium for five games, in what is the strongest ever punishment for a club in a case of racism in Spain.
